COR’s Most Frequently Asked Questions

I am planning an event but caterers are quoting me different mashgiach fees, some of which look pretty high, frankly. Doesn’t COR have a consistent pricing policy for its mashgichim?

COR requires our caterers to employ a working mashgiach who, for
the most part, is paid directly by the caterer. His job includes both the
kashrut supervision aspect of the kitchen as well as a number of other kitchen
tasks which he is assigned to by the caterer. Hotels and off site event venues
do not have working mashgichim and therefore COR charges a fixed hourly rate
for a mashgiach who is providing supervision in such a venue.

COR allows working mashgichim to supervise synagogue events and in
that situation we do not send an additional mashgiach and there is no
additional COR cost to the caterer. The caterer does have the direct cost of
the caterer’s working mashgiach; some of whom are on salary and some of whom
are paid hourly. If the caterer’s working mashgiach is unavailable, they
may book one through COR at a fixed hourly rate.

Some caterers may try to recover the cost of their working
mashgiach by having their clients pay for it under a separate line item called
"mashgiach charge". This might be why it differs from caterer to
caterer. But please note: this charge is not generally a COR fee.

Unfortunately, the appearance of this segregated charge makes it
appear as if this is a COR charge when it is generally not. Furthermore, since
the mashgiach does other kitchen and event work as well as many other events
and take-outs it appears inaccurate to bundle it under a mashgiach charge (caterers
don’t charge a “chef’s fee” for example). That said it is fair for a caterer to
charge out its costs for a COR mashgiach if they are operating at an outside
venue or if they must hire a COR mashgiach for the event, but this fee from COR
is fixed and therefore should not vary from caterer to caterer.

Could there be a problem with purchasing food or drinks from an uncertified ice cream or coffee shop?

Yes. There can potentially be a problem with either the product that you are purchasing or with the
other products and equipment that may come into contact with the product that you are purchasing.

Since these establishments are not certified at the retail level and there is no mashgiach visiting and
checking up on them, the consumer must independently ascertain the kosher status of the product in
question. For example, at ice cream or frozen yogurt shops, many ice-cream flavours, ice cream cakes,
chocolate syrup, sprinkles and cones may not be kosher certified. At coffee shops, flavoured coffees and
specialty drinks may not be kosher certified. Relying on the attendant to provide you with answers is not
sufficient. You must verify the kosher status of these items by identifying the kosher symbol on the
original packaging of all of the ingredients – a book of kosher certificates at the front desk is insufficient.

Additionally, you must determine that the kosher product does not come into contact with non-kosher
product or non-kosher equipment. This may happen where kosher and non-kosher utensils are washed
together or in coffee shops where products may be steamed on the same machinery.

Canadian law states that it is an offense to use the word "kosher" unless it complies with the standards
of halacha. If the word "kosher" is written in a store, you should ask which certifying body is standing
behind this representation.

Are the muffins at Starbucks in Canada kosher?

Most of the muffins sold at Starbucks stores in Canada are manufactured at facilities that are kosher
certified by COR. According to Jewish law, one must see a kosher symbol on a product’s packaging in
order to guarantee that the particular product is in fact kosher. Many Starbucks locations keep the
boxes used to package the muffins on hand and these boxes do carry the COR Kosher symbol. Kosher
consumers should ask baristas to see the "master case" so that the consumers may verify the kosher status for
themselves.

May one assume that the popcorn sold at theatres, fairs or sporting events is kosher? What if the popcorn stand carries kosher certificates for its ingredients?

The short answer is no. Even if you see or are told that all of the ingredients used in the popcorn are
kosher certified, there are basic kosher issues to be considered. Since this vendor is not kosher certified,
he is not bound to use exclusively kosher ingredients. He may have kosher certificates for his
ingredients, but what if he runs out of a particular ingredient or finds a less expensive non-kosher
substitute? It is even conceivable that he could place a non-kosher ingredient into a container that has
kosher certification on it. In addition, the machinery and utensils might have been used for non-kosher
items, and this would compromise the kosher status of the product. Finally, it is also possible that the
operators test new ingredients from time to time in the machine and those test ingredients may not be
kosher. Since the popcorn stand is non-certified, there is simply no way to guarantee its kosher status.

I've seen some Heinz baby food in plastic containers that have a COR, but the jar version of the same product does not.Is this a mistake? Is the jar version of the product kosher certified?

No. Many products, both kosher and non-kosher, share production lines. If the kosher products are
made after non-kosher products a "kosherization" process usually needs to take place. The plastic Heinz
baby food containers in question are produced in a smaller factory where there are very few scheduling
conflicts and kosherization can be done easily. The glass bottles are produced in a different facility, one
that is very busy, and the scheduling conflicts are too great to allow for koshering of the equipment
between runs. Therefore, they should not be considered kosher.

Are custom-made Baskin Robbins ice cream cakes kosher certified?

No. Most, but not all of Baskin Robbins' ice creams are certified kosher in Canada by the COR. The Baskin
Robbins custom cakes (i.e. for birthdays) use Baskin Robbins ice cream, but they also contain other non-
kosher certified ingredients used in the writing of the message and other decorations. However, Baskin
Robbins ice cream cakes that are sealed and carry a COR or other reliable certification are indeed
kosher.

How do I know which kosher symbols are accepted? If the symbol is not shown on the COR Kosher Symbol Reference Card, does that mean it is not acceptable?

There are over 1000 different kosher symbols from all over the world. The determination of which are
acceptable is a process that requires thorough research. We generally recommend the well-known
certifications which have a skilled Rabbinic staff who make the halachic decisions for their organizations.
As a result of the sheer abundance of kosher symbols that exist worldwide, there are many acceptable,
yet lesser-known symbols which are not listed on our COR Kosher Symbol Reference Card. If you have a
question about a particular symbol, please email our office at questions@cor.ca .

Can I go to any bulk store and purchase bulk items such as raw peanuts, nuts, flour and cornmeal? Also, if I see a product such as Chocolate Almonds with a COR on the bin, can I trust that it is kosher?

Bulk products can be purchased for items that do not require kosher certification and are truly raw, with
no coatings or flavourings added. Moreover, it should be confirmed that these items are kept in a clean,
insect-free environment.

For items in a bulk store which have a COR on the bin, unfortunately we cannot verify that the foods
placed in the bins are still kosher. There is a lot of cross contamination that happens at locations like this
(i.e. consumers putting things in different bins, and the store putting items in the wrong bin) and as a
result we recommend purchasing food that is either in its original sealed package with certification, or in
a store that is entirely kosher certified.

I have seen a product kosher certified as pareve which contains a warning label that it “may contain milk”. Would this make the status of the product “dairy”?

Companies often list that a product “may contain dairy” for legal purposes as an allergen declaration,
however, this does not affect the pareve status of a product.

Does Maple Syrup/Maple Sugar require certification?

Maple Syrup and Maple Sugar should have kosher certification as anti-foams are commonly added and
they might be packed with the same machinery as non-kosher products.

If I see a mix of some sort (i.e. muffin mix) listed on your website as kosher but it is baked in a non kosher restaurant or coffee shop is it still kosher?

No. Food products such as muffins sold at restaurants or coffee shops that are not sealed with
reliable kosher certification symbol should not be considered kosher. Many of these mixes are
produced at kosher plants that produce a variety of different products for a host of different
companies. But once the mixes are baked in the non kosher restaurant or coffee shop's ovens
which also bake other products many of which contain non kosher ingredients, or even pork
and the like, they are no longer kosher. Therefore, in these instances, only products that are
sealed and carry a reliable kosher certification symbol on the package can be considered
kosher.

Why are so many products in the United States kosher certified, while the same brands are not under supervision in Canada?

One of the main reasons for this is that the product is made by a different manufacturer who
does not have kosher endorsement. A good example of this is the Kit Kat chocolate bar. Kit Kat
in the United States is made by Hershey Foods Corporation, which has the Orthodox Union
certification. Here in Canada, it is made by Nestle Canada which does not have kosher
certification. The formula may be different as well as the source ingredients, not to mention the
production process. For more information please see this article here .

Why can’t we just read the ingredients on a label and if everything is kosher, use that product?

Food manufacture is an extremely complex process. Many ingredients that are not commonly
known are problematic. For example, Lipase is extracted from animal tongues or pancreases,
Glycerides are used in many gums and candies and are usually refined animal fat, or
Polysorbates which are often combined with glycerides and as such contain animal fat. But
that’s not the whole story. Even if all of the ingredients were kosher, what about the equipment
they are made on? There could easily be considerable cross contamination that would render
the product non kosher. For these reasons amongst others, a reliable kosher certification on a
food product is a must.

Why are grape flavours not kosher?

Wine (and grape juice) have always been an extremely important part of Jewish ritual. For that reason,
all wine and grape juice must be made by people of Jewish faith and carry reliable kosher supervision.
Regarding flavours, many grape flavours are not truly artificial as listed. Besides the many other
components which are used to make a grape flavour, which may not be kosher, e.g. ethyl oenanthate,
the use of concentrated grape juice is common.

I want to convert my kitchen to kosher. How do I go about it?

Mazal tov! Kashering your home can be both a spiritually rewarding and educational experience. COR
would be honoured to help you undertake this process and will even send a rabbi to your house to
discuss the particulars.

How does the kosher certification process work exactly?

The requirements include a thorough ingredient review followed by an inspection of the plant
by one of our rabbinic inspectors. Following that, there is a contractual agreement entered into
between the company and the COR Council along with a supervision fee. COR maintains an
ongoing relationship with its certified companies and makes scheduled and unannounced
inspection visits to the company to review their food processes and raw materials.

What are the numbers after the COR symbol on labeled products?

The numbers are our way of identifying a registered manufacturing facility. The COR without a
number on a processed food may raise a question as to its authenticity.

Do herbal teas require kosher certification?

Many teas do not require kosher certification. But many herbal teas contain natural and/or artificial
flavours which require kosher certification. The terms “natural and artificial” are generally
misunderstood by the consumer. These two words could mean that there are another 10-50 other
ingredients included but are too long to list. In the flavour industry there are a number of non-kosher
components which are hidden behind the term “natural and artificial” flavours and colours.

Do plain fruit juices require kosher certification?

Juices require kosher certification due to the issue of processing non-kosher products on the same
equipment. This could include grape juice, Clamato (i.e. clam juice) or dairy products.

Do all seasonings and spices require kosher certification?

Pure seasonings that do not have any mixtures of other ingredients such as spice oils or spice blends are
generally OK. Any spice or seasoning from Israel requires proper kosher endorsement.

What is “Yoshon”?

The Torah states that grain which was planted after Pesach may not be consumed until the following
Pesach. Grain which was planted or has taken root after Pesach is considered new, or chodosh, crop and
will not be permissible until the 18th of Nissan of the following year. After that date, the grain is
considered old, or yoshon, crop and is permitted to be eaten. You can read more about yoshon here .

What flavoured coffee drinks can I buy at chains such as Starbuck’s, Second Cup, Tim Horton’s and the like?

In general we only recommend regular black and decaffeinated coffees at coffee shops. For more
information see this article here .

What does “DE” Mean?

DE stands for “Dairy Equipment” and means that a hot product, while pareve in its essence, has been
manufactured using equipment that was also used to manufacture hot dairy products where no
kosherization occurred in between. For more information, see here .

Does dish soap require kosher certification?

COR’s policy is that dish soap does not require kosher certification because from a halachik perspective
soap is not seen to transfer its taste to food or dishes because soap’s taste is sour (noten ta’am lifgam).